Today's News
Va Police Chiefs Assn signs up for online training at PoliceCommunity.Net
The Response Network, of Hanover, NH, a provider of online training programs for law enforcement and public safety professionals, has announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP) to develop customized in-service training courses that will be available to all Virginia law enforcement personnel on the company’s PoliceCommunity.net online training portal.
GSN 2011 Awards Program opens for entries on April 26
Government Security News has announced that its 2011 Homeland Security Awards Program will officially open for business and start accepting entries in the program’s 45 awards categories on Tuesday, April 26.
Obama seeks three percent hike in discretionary budget at DHS
Despite official murmurings a few months ago that the fiscal year 2011 budget request for DHS might decline slightly, the budget package unveiled on February 1 actually shows a three percent increase in “discretionary spending” by DHS in 2011, versus the prior year, and modest growth, at approximately the predicted rate of inflation, in the outer years.
Pre Check program to expand to busiest U.S. airports in 2012
Boston Logan
The TSA’s trusted traveler Pre Check program will expand to dozens more airports around the country in the coming months, including some of the busiest like Boston’s Logan, New York’s JFK and LaGuardia, Chicago’s O’Hare, and Washington’s National and Dulles.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and TSA Administrator John Pistole unveiled a lengthy list of additional airports on Jan. 8 where the Pre Check passenger pre-screening program will expand in 2012 following the current pilot initiatives at seven airports.
CBP rescue beacon helps save two in south Texas
Rescue beacon
CBP agents helped save two people trying to traverse the south Texas scrubland after the couple sounded a rescue beacon near an internal border checkpoint.
U.S. Border Patrol said agents assigned to the Kingsville Station, near Sarita, TX saved the lives of two illegal aliens who activated a rescue beacon after becoming lost in the brush on Feb. 4.
Senate homeland security leader lambastes security privatization measure in FAA bill
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
A provision in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill approved by Congress on Feb. 7 that would allow airports to privatize their security screeners and essentially opt -out of TSA’s program, is “troubling” and “regrettable,” said the leader of the Senate Homeland Security committee .
Genetic research on European E. coli outbreak gives unique insight
Escherichia coli
A study of the outbreak of E. coli that killed 50 people in Germany last summer and sickened thousands has yielded some clues about the emergence and spread of infectious disease.
Study says nuclear plant designs need stepped-up attention to security
While protections for nuclear plant from possible terror attacks have improved dramatically since 9/11, a report by a group of nuclear scientists said there is plenty of room for more enhancement in new reactor and plant designs in the coming years.
GPO provided secure credentials for FBI at Super Bowl in Indianapolis
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) used security design and printing techniques to produce the FBI’s special events credential that was used at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, IN, by public safety personnel.
HSI Nogales special agent pleads guilty to leaking classified documents
Nogales POE
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent pleaded guilty to all 21 counts accusing her of leaking sensitive government information to relatives involved in drug trafficking.
According to a statement by the FBI on Jan. 6, Jovana Deas, 33, of Rio Rico, AZ, admitted to abusing her position as an HSI special agent to illegally obtain and disseminate government documents classified as "Official Use Only."
